Bell attachment for pianos.



E. W. DAAB.

BELL ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1913 Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

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E. W. DAAB.

BELL ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1913. 1,091,043. Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

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ERNST W. DAAB, 0F BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

BELL ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 9, 1913.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914. Serial No. 760,076.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST W. DAAB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belleville, in the county of St. Clair, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bell Attachments for Pianos; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in pianos, and particularly to attachments therefor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple chime attachment for a piano which can be quickly and easily thrown into or out of operation.

A further object is to provide a chime attachment which is operable by the feet to throw the different bells into operative position relative to the keyboard of the piano.

A still further object is to provide a footoperated bell-striking mechanism, and means for throwing the individual bells into position to be struck by the striking mechanism, this means being actuated by the key levers of the piano when they are depressed in the ordinary playing of the piano.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure l is a front elevation of a piano partly in section showing my invention in inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the same in operative position. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. et is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of the bell board. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 represents the frame of a piano and 11 the key levers of the keyboard. Mounted in the frame of the piano, below the keyboard, is a vertically slidable transversely arranged board 12, on which is rotatably journaled a longitudinally extending shaft 13. One end of this shaft carries a grooved pulley 14. In the lower portion of the frame is mounted a fly-wheel 15 carrying a grooved pulley 16, a belt 17 being trained around the said pulleys 14 and 16.

A suitable treadle 18 is mounted adjacent the fiy-wheel l5, and is suitably connected thereto by the connecting rod 19. This treadle 18 is centrally pivoted at 20, and is adapted to be rocked on its pivot by the foot of the player, to impart rotary movement to the wheel 15, to drive the shaft 13, for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. Adjacent the treadle 18 is similarly mounted another treadle 21, which is connected at its inner end to the central portion of the board 12 by means of the vertical shift rod or post 22. Movement of the treadle 21 accomplishes the raising and lowering of the board 12, suitable stops 23 and 24 being carried by the frame to limit the sliding of the board.

Pivotally mounted on the board 12 is a longitudinal series of bent levers 25, the lower end of each of the levers carrying'a bell 26. These bells, as shown, are twentylive in number and are arranged in chromatic succession. Each of the levers 25 is held in normal elevated position by means of a coil spring 27. On the upper portion of the board 12 is a suitable guide 28 through which extends the series of vertical rods 29, each one of which has its upper end provided with a head 30 and disposed through an opening in the keyboard shelf directly beneath a key lever 11 corresponding to the particular tone of its bell. Each of the rods 29 is pivotally connected at its lower end to one of the levers 25.

On the shaft 13 are arranged the hammers or strikers 31, these being arranged in groups of two or more, and each group positioned at a point on the shaft so thatthey will strike the adjacent bell, when the bell is moved into operative-position.

l/Vhen the device is to be used, the treadle 21 is pressed so that the board 12 is elevated against the stops 23, in which position, the upper ends of the rods or plungers 29 are arranged with their upper ends close to or touching the under faces of the key levers 11. Operation of the pedal 18 will cause the continuous rotation of the shaft 13, and upon depression of one of the key levers, the cor responding lever 25 will be rocked on its pivot through the movement of the attached rod 29. This movement of the lever 25 swings the attached bell close to the adjacent group of hammers 31, which strike the bell to produce a tone of the same pitch as issues from the wire of the piano which is sounded by this particular key lever. The bell mechanism can be quickly released from operative position by relieving the pressure on the pedal 21, the board 12 sliding down of its own weight.

When the device is thrown into operative position, the bell tones will be sounded at the same time that the tones from the wires of the piano are sounded, thus producing a novel musical efiect. This attachment is peculiarly adaptable for music halls and mo tion picture houses, the pianist being able to produce the effect of several players.

vVhile I have shown two octaves, it will of course be understood that I may increase or diminish the number of bells.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a simple, novel and inexpensive device for attachment to pianos, and one which may be readily attached to the ordinary piano with the minimum number of alterations to the piano.

N hat is claimed is:

1. The combination with a piano, of a vertically movable member slidably mounted on the piano beneath the keyboard, a chr0- matic series of tone-producing elements movably carried on the member, means for striking the tone producing elements, and means actuated by the key-levers of the piano for moving the tone elements into position to be engaged by the striking means.

2. The combination with a piano, of a vertically movable board, a plurality of levers pivotally mounted on the board, a chromatic series of tone elements movably mounted on the levers in correspondence with the keys of the piano, a rotating shaft adjacent the tone elements, hammers carried by the shaft, means carried by the levers for engagement by the keys of the piano to move the tone-elements into the paths of the hammers, and means for continuously rotating said shaft.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNST W. DAAB.

Witnesses FRED DAAB, H. R. HINNBERGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

